Refrigerated cabinet with heat transfer means on inner liner of the door



y 1954 w. G. SPIEGELHALTER 2,677,247

REFRIGERATED CABINET WITH HEAT TRANSFER MEANS ON INNER LINER OF THE DOOR Filed Dec. 30, 1952 /0 Fig 7' 7 1 Inventor:

WilIiam Gspiegelhalter,

His Attorneg.

Patented May 4, 1954 REFRIGERATED CABINET WITH HEAT TRANSFER MEANS N INNER LINER OF THE DOOR William G. Spiegelhalter, Erie, Pa., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application December 30, 1952, Serial No. 328,727

12 Claims. 1

My invention relates to refrigerated cabinets and more particularly to such cabinets including refrigeratedliners.

In many refrigerated cabinets, for example, chest type food freezers, it is customary to provide an inner liner the top of which is a substantial distance below the top of the outer case. The outer case and the inner liner are then connected in this region by a downwardly and inwardly inclined breaker strip. It is common to refrigerate such cabinets by a refrigerating coil or other means secured to the exterior surface of the inner liner. It can be seen, therefore, that since the top of the inner liner is disposed below the top of the outer case, it is impossible for the refrigerating coil to extend entirely to the top of the food storage compartment. Accordingly, the area of the food storage compartment above the top of the inner liner and adjacent the inner wall of the lid may tend to run at a. higher temperature than is desirable for the proper storage, for example, of frozen foods. In accordance with my invention an arrangement is provided for removing heat from this region of the food storage compartment above the level of the top of the inner liner.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provid an improved refrigerated cabinet including an improved arrangement for securing more nearly uniform temperatures throughout the storage compartment.

It is another object of my invention to provide an improved refrigerated cabinet of the chest tyne an improved arrangement for cooling air in the region of the top of the food storage compartment.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds and thefeatures of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

In carrying out the objects of my invention, an auxiliary member of heat-conducting material is resiliently mounted on the inner wall of the lid or door and is arranged to engage the refrigerated liner so that heat is transferred to the refrigerated liner from the region adjacent the inner wall of the lid or door through this auxiliary member. Arrangements may also be provided for minimizing any tendency of the auxiliary member to adhere to the inner liner as a result of frost formation.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation view of a portion of a refrigerated cabinet illustrating one embodiment of myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation view of a portion of a refrigerated cabinet showing another embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevationview .of a portion of a refrigerated cabinet showing still another modified form of my invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation view of a portion of a refrigerated cabinet showing a further modified form of my invention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation view of a portion of a refrigerated cabinet showing still another modified form of my invention.

Referring to Fig. 1 there is shown a refrigerated cabinet or freezer including an outer case I and and inner liner 2 spaced from the outer case and generally defining a food storage compartment 3. The space between the outer case and the inner liner is filled with a suitable heat-insulating material '4. The space between the outer case and the inner liner adjacent the access opening of the food storage compartment is closed by a breaker strip 5. As shown. in Fig. 1 the top of the inner liner 2 is located a substantial distance below the top of the outer case i and the breaker strip 5 connecting the outer case and the inner liner is accordingly inclined downwardly and inwardly as shown. The breaker strip 5 may be connected to the outer case and inner liner in any suitable manner, as. by screws 6. The access opening, which is located at the top of the food storage compartment 3, is closed by a lid or closure member 1, which is mounted by a hinge 8 on the outer case I. The lid 1 includes an outer wall I and a spacedinner wall 9. the space between these walls being filled with a suitable heatinsulating material, ll. Abreaker strip lila closes the gap between the walls 1" and 9 adjacent the access opening; I

The food storage compartment 3 is refrigerated in a conventional manner by a refrigerant-conducting conduit II which is secured to the exterior surface of the inner liner 2 in any suitable manner, as by brazing thereto. The conduit H may extend over substantially the entire exterior surface of th inner liner 2 providing a more or less uniform cooling within the con fines of the liner 2. However, the top of the inner liner is located a substantial distance below the top of the outer case and below the inner wall 9 of the lid; hence it is a substantial distancebelow the top ofthe space available within the cabinet for the storage of food. This space, for

example in the region indicated by I2, above the top of the inner liner 2 and below the inner wall 9 of the lid 1 may therefore be at a temperature which is too high for proper storage of frozen food over a long period.

In accordance with my invention, an arrangement is provided: for transferring heat from the region I2 to the inner liner 2 andv hence to the refrigerant-conducting conduit ll, thereby achieving a more nearly uniform temperature throughout the food storagecompartment defined by the inner liner 2 and the-lid'l. To accomplish this result a sheet or member I3, which is made of a material of good thermal conductivity, for example, aluminum, is mounted on. the inner wall 9 of the lid 1. This member I3 is arranged to have its edge or perimeter [.4 engage the inner liner 2. To facilitate this engagement, the inner liner 2 is formed to provide a shoulder [5 at the top edge thereofand the edge M of the member 13 engages thisshoulder i5.

In. order to providefor. abetter contact between the member l3. and. the shoulder i5, themember I3 is resiliently urged. downwardly against the shoulder 15 when the lid 1 is in its closed position. This is accomplished by providinga plurality of springs It between theinner wall 9 or the lid 1 and themember I3- These springs areof the coil type andeach. surrounds a. corresponding rivet orrod I! employedlfor. mounting the member 13 on the inner wall 9.. Each rod l'l'includes heads at each end forlholding themember in mounted position on. the inner wall. The rods [1 havinga sliding lit with. openings in either the inner wall 9 or the member [3 to provide for movement of the member.l3 relative to the. lid. Moreover, as shown, the plurality of rods H and springs l6are arranged in spaced relationship throughout the area ofthe inner .wall of the lid so as to provide. a universal mounting whereby the member 13 may adapt itself to engagement with the linerl throughout the extent of the shoulder I5 despite variation from an exact parallel mounting of these members.

By the use of the member [3,. heat from the.

region I2 is readily, conductedalong the heat conducting material of the member l3..and.directly to the refrigerated inner liner 2 from which it is dissipated to the refrigerant flowing through the conduit II. In this way the temperatures in the region l2 are kept below that desired for proper preservation of frozen food over. a prolonged period and the temperatures throughout the storage compartment 3 are maintained more nearly uniform. Moreover, the member i3"extends acrossthe inner end. of the air gap llabetween the lidand the. cabinet so that heat leakage through this gap is. removed and transferred to the inner liner before it. can reach the food stored in the compartment 3.

A modified form of my invention is shown in Fig. 2. Improved thermal insulation makesipossible the use of thinner walls, that is, walls having a shorter distance betweenthe outer case and the inner liner. However, in order to minimize edge losses between the outer case and the inner liner it is still necessary to employ a breaker strip having substantially the same width as that employed with thicker walls. In order to obtain this necessary width of breaker strip with thinner walls it is necessary that the breaker strip be inclined downwardly toward a more nearly vertical position. This causes the. top of. the inner liner to. be even further. below the .top of the outer case inqthe form shown in-Fig. 2, leavone ofwhich is shown at 24.

ing a region i8 between the top of the inner liner and the lid which is even larger than the region l2 in the form shown in Fig. l. The heat-conducting auxiliary member IQ, which corresponds to the member I3 in the form of Fig. 1, is therefore even more advantageous in the embodiment shown in Fig- 2.since the problem of the warmer region I8 is of greater magnitude.

As in the form shown in Fig. 1 the inner liner 2 is provided with a shoulder 20 which is engaged by the flanged edge portion 2| of the heat-conducting member lfi. The member [9 is mounted on the inner wall of the lid 22 by a plurality of rods,one of which is shown at 23, and springs, To provide an air gap between the lid and the storage cabinet of. sufiicient length the lid is formed to include a depending portion adjacent the perimeter thereof; This depending portion extends, as shown, downwardly generally parallel to the steeply, inclined. breaker strip.26.. Intheform otinvention shown. in Fig. 2 .the memberlllis shaped to conform closely to the shape of the depending portion 25 and for .this purpose includes a circumferential depending portion 21.

In the form of invention shown in Fig. 1 the member [3 is shown extending throughout. the area of the inner wall of the lid. In some circumstances at least it may not be necessary to utilize a heat-conducting. member extendingthroughout this area. In Fig. 3 there is shown a modified form of my invention. inwhich the heat-conducting auxiliary member 28 is formed with a large central. aperture 29 and henceextends only in. a general region of the circumferential area of the lid 30. The member 28- may .conveniently bereferred to as an annulus of rectangular shape, being formed of a continuous sheet extending generally adjacent the perimeter of the rectangular shaped. lid. 30. Asin .the form of invention previously described, the heat-conducting member 28,. which may be formedirom sheet aluminum, for example, is mounted on the inner wall 3| of the lid 30 by rods or. rivets, one of which isshown at 32 and biasingspringsone of which is shown at 33. The member 28'includesat its outeredge. a flanged .portion 34 which is urged by the springs 33 into direct heat exchange with a shoulder 35 formed'at the upper edge of the liner 2. The liner 2; as in the forms previously described, is refrigerated by a refrigerant-conducting conduit, the top passof which is shown at H. The auxiliary member 28 transfersheat from the region 38 between the lid 30 and the .top of the liner 2 in the same manner as described there might be a tendency for the heat-conducting memberto adhere to thashoulder of the liner because of frost'fcrmed on. the liner by theproximityof the refrigerant-conducting conduit ll tov this region. In Figs. 4 and 5 there are shown modified forms of my invention for minimizing this problem- In Fig. 4 the inner liner 3! is shaped to provide a shoulder which .is spaced outwardly from the wall defining the food storage compartment and which. is therefore somewhat remote from the refrigerant-conducting conduit II. An auxiliary member 39 of heatconducting material is mounted in the same manner as in the forms of invention previously described and it includesacircumferential flanged portion, lt which, in the closed position of the lid,

is brought into engagement with the shoulder 38 of the liner 31. However, since this shoulder 38, as mentioned above, is somewhat remote from the conduit l I it will be at a slightly higher temperature than the remainder of the inner liner 31. While this difference is slight it is sufficient to cause the frost to form on or migrate to the region more immediately adjacent the refrigerant-conducting conduit ll. Accordingly, the shoulder 38 of the liner is substantially free of frost formation, and any tendency of the auxiliary member 39 to adhere thereto is minimized.

Another arrangement for minimizing the tendency of the auxiliary heat-conducting member to adhere to the liner is shown in Fig. 5. In this form of my invention the liner ii is shaped to omit the shoulders shown in the previous forms of this invention. Instead the liner 41 is curved at its upper end as shown at 42. The auxiliary heat-conducting member 43 in this form of my invention is mounted on the lid in the same manner as in the forms of invention previously described. However, in lieu of being formed at a circumferential edge with a horizontally extending flanged portion as in the previous forms of my invention, the heat-conducting member 43 is curved to its edge, as indicated at 44. The member 43 is formed of a relatively resilient heatconducting sheet material, such as aluminum or steel, so that the edge may be forced inwardly by engagement with the curved portion '22 of the inner liner during the closing of the lid and will spring outwardly to its original position when the lid is opened. The member 43 may initially engage the inner liner in the region indicated by the dotted lines 45 and the edge 44 thereafter rides along the inner liner to the final position shown by the solid lines in Fig. 5. In so riding along the inner liner the member 43 scrapes therefrom any frost which may have formed thereon. Accordingly, each time the lid is closed any frost formed on the liner in the region of engagement by the heat-conducting member is removed by scraping. Hence this frost is kept to a minimum, thereby minimizing any tendency for the member 43 to adhere to the inner liner because of frost in this region.

While I have shown and described specific embodiments of my invention, other applications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. For example, while my invention has been described in connection with a chest-type freezer and has particular advantages in such a cabinet because of the location of the colder and warmer regions of air therein, it will be apparent that the construction could also be applied to upright cabinets. The construction in such a case would be the same as if Fig. l were regarded as a sectional plan View instead of a sectional elevation view as described previously. This application to upright cabinets may be of increasing significance as doors on such cabinets become thinner and more deeply recessed and hence as the inner wall thereof is disposed at an increasing distance from the refrigerated liner. Accordingly, I do not desire my invention to be limited to the particular constructions shown and described and I intend by the appended claims to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a refrigerated cabinet an outer case, an inner liner spaced from said outer case and de- 6. fining a food storage compartment having an access opening, a closure member hinged to said outer case and adapted to close said access opening, means secured to said liner for refrigerating said storage compartment, said closure member including an inner wall defining one wall of said storage compartment and disposed in spaced relationship to said liner whereby said refrigerating means does not extend entirely to the region adjacent said inner wall of said closure member, an auxiliary member of heat-conducting material mounted on said inner wall of said closure member, said auxiliary member being arranged to engage said refrigerated inner liner when said closure member is in its closed position for cooling the region of said storage compartment beyond said inner liner and adjacent said inner wall of said closure member.

2. In a refrigerated cabinet of the chest type, an outer case, an inner liner spaced from said outer case and defining a food storage compartment having an access opening at the top thereof, a lid hinged to said outer case and adapted to close said access opening, means secured to said liner for refrigerating said storage compartment, said lid including an inner wall defining the top of said storage compartment and disposed above the top of said liner whereby said refrigerating means does not extend entirely to the top region of said storage compartment, and an auxiliary member of heat-conducting material mounted on said inner wall of said lid. said member being arranged to engage said refrigerated inner liner when said lid is in its closed position for cooling the region of said storage compartment above the level of the top a of said liner.

3. In a refrigerated cabinet an outer case, an inner liner spaced from said outer case and defining a food storage compartment having an access opening, a closure member hinged to said outer case and adapted to close said access opening, means secured to said liner for refrigerating said storage compartment, said closure member including an inner wall defining one wall of said storage compartment and disposed in spaced relationship to said liner whereby said refrigerating means does not extend entirely to the region adjacent said inner wall of said closure member, an auxiliary member of heat conducting material mounted on said inner wall of said closure member, said auxiliary member being resiliently urged into engagement with said refrigerated inner liner when said closure member is in its closed position for cooling the region of said storage compartment beyond said inner liner and adjacent said inner wall of said closure member.

4. In a refrigerated cabinet of thechest type. an outer case, an inner liner spaced from said outer case and defining a food storage compartment having an access opening at the top thereof, a lid hinged to said outer case and adapted to close said access opening, means secured to said liner for refrigerating said storage compartment, said lid including an inner wall defining the top of said storage compartment and disposed above the top of said liner whereby said refrigerating means does not extend entirely to the top region of said storage compartment, an auxiliary member of heat-conducting material mounted on said inner wall of said lid, said member being resiliently urged into engagement with said refrigerated liner when said lid is in its closed position for cooling the region of said storage compartment above the level of the top of said liner.

5. In a refrigerated cabinet of the chest type, an. outer case, an inner liner spaced from said outer. case and defining a food storage compartmenthaving an accessopening at the top thereoi, a lid hinged to said outer case and adapted to close said access opening, means secured to said liner for refrigerating said storage compartment, said lid including an inner wall defining the top of said storage compartment and disposed above the'top of said liner whereby said refrigerating means does not extend entirely to the top region of said storage compartment, an auxiliary member of heat-conducting material mounted on said inner wall of said lid, said member being arranged to engage said refrigerated inner liner Whensaid lid is in its closed position for cooling the region of said storage compartment above the level of the top of said liner, and a plurality of. springs between said inner wall of said lid and said member for resiliently urging said member into engagement with said liner, said springs being arranged in spaced relation for providing a universal mounting for said member relative to said lid and said liner.

6. In a refrigerated cabinet of the chest type, an outer case, an inner liner spaced from said outer case and defining a food storage compartment having an access opening at the top thereof, a lid hinged to said outer case and adapted to close said access opening, means secured to said i liner for refrigerating said storage compartment, said'lid including an inner liner defining the top of said storage compartment and disposed above the top of said liner whereby said refrigerating means does not extend entirely to the top region of said storage compartment, said liner being formed to provide a horizontally extending shoulder adjacent the top edge thereof, an auxiliary member of heat-conducting material mounted on the inner wall of said lid, said member being arranged to engage said. shoulder of said refrigerated liner when said lid is inits closed position for cooling the region of said storage compartment above the level of the top of said liner.

7. In a refrigerated cabinet of the chest type, an outer case, an inner liner spaced from said outer case and defining a food storage compartment having an access opening at the top thereof, a lid hinged to said outer case and adapted to close said access opening; means secured to said liner for refrigerating said storage compartment, said lid including an inner liner defining the top of said storage compartment and disposed above the top of said liner whereby said refrigerating means does-not extend entirelyto the top region of said storage compartment, said liner being formed to provide a horizontally extending shoulder adjacent the top edge thereof, an auxiliary member of heat-conducting material mounted on the inner wall of said lid, said member being arranged to engage said shoulder of said refrigerated liner when said lid is in its closed position for cooling the region of said storage compartment above the level of the top of said liner, and a plurality of springs-between said inner wall of said lid and said member for resiliently urging said member into engagement with said liner, said springs being arranged in spaced relationship for providing a universal mounting for saidmember relative to said lid and said liner.

8. In a refrigerated compartment of the chest type, an outer case, an inner liner'space'd from said outer case and defining a'iood storage com- 8 pertinent-having an access'opening at. the top thereof, the top of said liner being lower than the top .of said outer case, a downwardly and inwardly inclined breaker strip for closing the space between said outer case and said inner liner adjacent said access opening, a lid hinged to said outer case and adapted to close said access opening, means secured to said liner for refrigerating said storage compartment whereby said refrigerating means does not extend entirely to the top region of said storage compartment, an auxiliary member of heat-conducting material mounted on the inner wall of said lid, said member being arranged to engage said refrigerated liner when said lid is in its closed position for cooling the region of said storagecompartment above the level of said liner.

9. In a refrigerated cabinet of the chest type, an outer case, an inner liner spaced from said outer case and defining a food storage compartment having an access opening at the top thereof, a lid hinged to said outer case and adapted to close said access opening, means secured to said liner for refrigerating said storage compartment, said lid including an inner wall defining the top of said storage compartment and disposed above the top of said liner whereby said r frigerating means does not extend entirely to the top region of said storage compartment, and an auxiliary member of heat-conducting material mounted on said inner wall of said lid, said auxiliary member comprisinga sheet of heat-conducting material formed to provide a peripheral portion having a large central aperture, the edge of said peripheral portion being arranged to engage inner liner when said lid is in its closed position for cooling the region of said storage compartment above the level of the top of said liner.

it In a refrigerated compartment of the chest type, outer case, an inner liner spaced from said outer case and defining a food storage compartment having an access opening at the top thereof, the top of said liner being lower than the top of said outer case, a downwardly and inwardly inclined breaker strip for closing the space between said outer case and said inner liner adjacent said access opening, means secured to said liner for refrigerating said storage compartment whereby said refrigerating means does not extend entirely to the top region of said storage compartment, said liner being formed to provide a horizontally extending shoulder adjacent the top edge thereof, a. lid hinged to said outer case and adapted to close said access opening, said lid including a depending peripheral portion near the edge thereof and extending in spaced relationship to said breaker strip, and an auxiliary member of heat-conducting material mounted on-said inner wall of said lid, said member including 9, depending peripheral portion extending generally parallel to said depending portion of said lid and flanged edge portion, said flanged edge portion being arranged to engage said refrigerating liner when said lid is in its closed position for cooling the region of said storage compartment above the level of the top of said liner.

11. In a refrigerated cabinet of the chest type, an outer case, an inner liner spaced from said outer case and defining a food storage compartment having an access opening at'the top thereof, a lid hinged to said outer case and adapted to close saidlaccess openingsaid liner including a'vertical portion, means secured to said vertical portion of said liner for cooling said storage compartment, said liner further including a shoulder spaced outwardly from said vertical portion and hence from said cooling means whereby frost forms on said vertical portion of said liner in preference to said shoulder, said lid includin an inner wall defining the top of said storage compartment and disposed above the top of said liner whereby said cooling means does not extend entirely to the top of said storage compartment, and an auxiliary member of heat-conducting material mounted on said inner wall of said lid, said member being arranged to engage said shoulder of said liner when said lid is in its closed position for cooling the region of said storage compartment above the level of the top of said liner.

12. In a refrigerated cabinet of the chest type, an outer case, an inner liner spaced from said outer case and defining a food storage compartment having an access opening at the top thereof, a lid hinged to said outer case and adapted to close said access opening, means secured to said liner for refrigerating said storage compartment, said lid including an inner wall defining the top of said storage compartment and dis posed above the top of said liner whereby said refrigerating means does not extend entirely to 10 the top region of said storage compartment, the upper edge of said liner being curved outwardly to provide a flaring mouth, and an auxiliary member of resilient heat-conducting material including a downwardly depending peripheral portion, the edge of said peripheral portion being arranged to engage said curved portion of said liner as said lid is moved to its closed position, said edg riding along said curved upper edge of said liner in resilient engagement therewith during the final closing movement of said lid for scraping any frost from said liner in the region engaged by said auxiliary member, said heat-conducting auxiliary member providing for heat transfer from the region of said storage compartment above the level of the top of said liner.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,267,432 Steenstrup Dec. 23, 1941 2,401,460 Charland June 4, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 642, 70 Great Britain Aug. 30, 1950 

